This Week at Angama #1

Photography allows us to capture forever that one extraordinary moment. Counter-intuitively, I find the process of taking a photograph actually forces me to look more intently at how rich reality is. It pushes me to look at the finer details, to contemplate light and perspective and to think in composition and colour. Understandably, there are those who prefer to put their cameras down, to be present and to watch nature and the world unfold. I often stop and simply take it all in, but thereafter I reach for my camera and enjoy carefully composing the next shot and capturing what happened in that millisecond. Looking back on old photographs allows memories to come flooding back.

Our new weekly post, simply put, is a feast of beautiful photographs for all who have a love for photography and perhaps are looking to improve their own photographic skills. And for the rest who simply love the beauty of this corner of Kenya, it is a visual spread of stunning images celebrating the latest news from the Maasai Mara.

Welcome to our first instalment of This Week At Angama.

A lioness from the Marsh Breakaway Pride uses tree cover to scan the grasslands near the Mara River. She is one of 4 lionesses in this pride currently raising 4 cubs – descendants of the famous Marsh Pride and future kings and queens of the Mara Triangle. [f 5.6, 1/1600, ISO 400]

Photographing Maasai warriors, like Joshua, has become my favourite pastime. There is just something so striking about the vivid reds, blues and purples that contrast so beautifully with the dark skin tones. Added to that the backdrop of the Oloololo Escarpment and the warm setting sun all combined to allow for this image. [f 5.0, 1/125, ISO 160]

The plains are alive with Grey Crowned Cranes, the majority of which are frantically mating and preparing nests. This pair is ahead of the rest and has already begun the daunting task of raising a bundle of fluff to maturity. Here you can see the two parents inspecting the ground in search of insects to feed to their youngster whom they keep safely lodged between them. [f 4.0, 1/400, ISO 400]

It’s important to remember that photography is an art and needn’t always be a simple representation of reality. Whilst watching a Maasai warrior ritual dance I set my camera up on a tripod and played around with shutter speed. Keeping the shutter open for close on a second, I was able to zoom out mid photo. This creates a tunnel-blurred effect that quite successfully allowed me to show the details of the dancers whilst simultaneously showing them in profile. The take-home of this photograph was movement and energy. [f 20, 0.6, ISO 500]

Elephant herds are a dime a dozen in the Mara and regularly create the most special of experiences. Calm and relaxed these herds often allow visitors the opportunity to sit back, relax and soak in one of the Africa’s most charismatic and gracious of animals. This photograph captures a delightful moment between mother and young. [f 4.5, 1/500, ISO 125]

I’m always looking for new ways to showcase animals we see on every drive. This giraffe had a rather comical appearance, brought about by having one small horn, and I thought it would make the perfect subject for a black and white conversion portrait. [f 4, 1/2500, ISO 320 converted to black and white in post]

Did you know: Wild Ostriches can lay up to 8 eggs in one nest, and normally clutches are contributed by as many as three females, with the average combined clutch of 12-13 per nest. [f 5.6, 1/1000, ISO 160]

The Angama Pride seems to have taken a liking this week to climbing this specific tree. Visible from the balcony of North Camp this tree overhangs a small watering hole and provides much needed shade in the midday heat. Turning my camera to a portrait position and making sure the shutter speed was fast I managed to capture one of the adult lionesses descending the tree at great speed – the cubs looked up in interest. [f 5.6, 1/1250, ISO 250]

A White-browed Coucal warms himself in the morning sunlight. What caught my attention here was the clarity and vivid colouration of the eye. [f 4.5, 1/640, ISO 250]

A rather unusually wet January has left all the depressions, pools, dams and wetlands full and teeming with life and greenery. This wetland, not even a minute walk from camp, is one of my favourite places at Angama. [f 5.6, 1/1250, ISO 320]